Latest news with #InternalAffairsBureau
New York Post
10-06-2025
- New York Post
Dad of missing boy, 2, may have told tot's mom he threw son off NYC bridge : sources
The father of the 2-year-old boy who vanished during a custodial visit last month may have told the tot's mom at knifepoint that he threw their son into the Bronx River, law enforcement sources said Tuesday. Arius Williams, 20, the dad of little Montrell Williams – who has been missing since May 10 – allegedly pulled a knife on the boy's mother when they ran into each other on the street Sunday, the sources said. During the confrontation, the armed dad allegedly claimed he threw the couple's son off the Bruckner Bridge, according to the sources. 4 Arius Williams, 20, the father of little Montrell Williams, disturbingly claimed he threw his toddler son into the Bronx River, sources said. NYPD Surveillance footage from that night – showing Arius throwing a black bag into the river – could back up that claim, the sources said. The NYPD dispatched dive teams to comb the area Monday night but found nothing, and were continuing to search Tuesday, according to the sources. Arius was ordered held without bail on a warrant for custodial interference Monday, after refusing to tell a family court judge his son's whereabouts, cops and sources said. 4 Williams made the sickening claim about a month after his 2-year-old son's disappearance, sources said. Desheania Andrews Charges are pending against the dad in connection to the knifepoint incident, the sources said. The disturbing ordeal unfolded on May 10 when Montrell – who was dropped off by his mom a day earlier for a custody visit – was at his dad's Hunts Point Avenue house for a Mother's Day celebration, the sources said. At some point during that gathering, Arius – who has split custody of Montrell and visitation rights – took the boy, according to the sources. 4 NYPD divers are searching the waterway for any signs of the missing tot. Desheania Andrews Over the next few days, the boy's concerned mom called the cops, who appeared to have told her they couldn't intervene if her son is on a regularly scheduled visit, the sources said. A judge issued a warrant for the elusive dad after the mom appeared in family court on May 28, saying she had no idea of her young son or ex's whereabouts, according to the sources. And now, the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau is probing the department's investigative work surrounding Montrell's case – namely whether the boy's disappearance should have been investigated as a custodial interference case rather than simply a missing person search. 4 The boy was attending a Mother's Day gathering with his dad — who has split custody of him — before he vanished, sources said. Google Maps Anyone with information on his disappearance is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at or on X @NYPDTips.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
NYPD inspector bumped for keeping more than 70 troubled recruits at academy — including ex-‘sex for OT' cop's nephew: sources
An NYPD inspector was quietly bumped from his police academy job for allegedly keeping dozens of recruits on board — even after they failed to meet the department's mental health standards, law-enforcement sources said. Terrell Anderson, who led the NYPD's 'Candidate Assessment Division,' was transferred to the housing unit May 12 as part of an Internal Affairs Bureau probe into claims he allowed more than 70 candidates to stay at the Police Academy despite them failing psych requirements. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed Thursday that Anderson was transferred and said the department does not comment on internal investigations. Among the troubled recruits allegedly kept on by Anderson was the nephew of ex-NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps — the former department bigwig implicated in a tawdry sex-for-OT scandal, the sources said. Epps was the highest paid cop on the force when she retired in December over the shocking sex scandal, reeling in $400,000 a year in salary and overtime, The Post previously reported. According to the sources, Anderson claimed he had gotten a call from Epps telling him to keep her young relative Emilio Andino at the academy, though he should have been disqualified. Anderson claimed to investigators that various NYPD brass also pushed him to keep other non-qualified recruits on board, because the department was desperate to fill its depleted ranks, according to the sources. The claims are part of the ongoing IAB investigation, the sources said. Andino remains at the academy despite getting suspended last month for allegedly slapping another recruit, the sources said. He has since filed filed a lawsuit claiming the scuffle stemmed from a campaign of discrimination fueled by his aunt's public sex scandal. Attorney Eric Sanders, who represents Andino and Epps in her own 'whistleblower' lawsuit against the city and the department, did not respond for a request for comment Thursday. He addressed Andino's claims in a press release last month. 'This case exemplifies how institutions retaliate not only against whistleblowers—but also those connected to them,' Sanders said. 'Andino didn't violate policy, commit a crime, or fail to perform. He was targeted because of who his aunt is and what she dared to expose.' Sources said the department has been facing pressure to shore up its dwindling ranks, with that extending to Anderson, who was in charge of recruit assessment. NYPD staffing numbers have plummeted in recent years, with 34,475 unformed officers this year down from 40,200 in 2000. The crisis prompted Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to lower some standards for recruits, reinstating the 1.5 mile timed run but reducing college credit requirements and other measures in February. Last month, the department graduated its first class since the standards were eased, with the city announcing a target of 35,000 cops in uniform by next year. Before she retired, Epps had a lot of pull in the department due to her assignment to former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, who she later accused of extorting her for sex. She claimed that Maddrey repeatedly coaxed her into demeaning sexual encounters in exchange for favors and hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime, The Post revealed in December. Maddrey, who described the trysts as consensual, abruptly retired after the scandal broke. — Additional reporting by Tina Moore and Joe Marino
New York Post
22-05-2025
- New York Post
NYPD inspector bumped for keeping more than 70 troubled recruits at academy — including ex-‘sex for OT' cop's nephew: sources
An NYPD inspector was quietly bumped from his police academy job for allegedly keeping dozens of recruits on board — even after they failed to meet the department's mental health standards, law-enforcement sources said. Terrell Anderson, who led the NYPD's 'Candidate Assessment Division,' was transferred to the housing unit May 12 as part of an Internal Affairs Bureau probe into claims he allowed more than 70 candidates to stay at the Police Academy despite them failing psych requirements. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed Thursday that Anderson was transferred and said the department does not comment on internal investigations. Among the troubled recruits allegedly kept on by Anderson was the nephew of ex-NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps — the former department bigwig implicated in a tawdry sex-for-OT scandal, the sources said. Epps was the highest paid cop on the force when she retired in December over the shocking sex scandal, reeling in $400,000 a year in salary and overtime, The Post previously reported. 5 Emilio Andino, the nephew of former NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps, was allegedly kept at the police academy at her behest. Helayne Seidman 5 NYPD inspector Terrell Anderson, was transferred as police probe disqualified recruits at the police academy. Facebook According to the sources, Anderson claimed he had gotten a call from Epps telling him to keep her young relative Emilio Andino at the academy, though he should have been disqualified. Anderson claimed to investigators that various NYPD brass also pushed him to keep other non-qualified recruits on board, because the department was desperate to fill its depleted ranks, according to the sources. The claims are part of the ongoing IAB investigation, the sources said. Andino remains at the academy despite getting suspended last month for allegedly slapping another recruit, the sources said. 5 Sources said NYPD brass pushed to keep disqualified recruits at the police academy to fill depleted department ranks. Christopher Sadowski He has since filed filed a lawsuit claiming the scuffle stemmed from a campaign of discrimination fueled by his aunt's public sex scandal. Attorney Eric Sanders, who represents Andino and Epps in her own 'whistleblower' lawsuit against the city and the department, did not respond for a request for comment Thursday. 5 Former NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps is suing the city, claiming she was extorted for sex by former Chief Jeffrey Maddrey. LP Media He addressed Andino's claims in a press release last month. 'This case exemplifies how institutions retaliate not only against whistleblowers—but also those connected to them,' Sanders said. 'Andino didn't violate policy, commit a crime, or fail to perform. He was targeted because of who his aunt is and what she dared to expose.' Sources said the department has been facing pressure to shore up its dwindling ranks, with that extending to Anderson, who was in charge of recruit assessment. NYPD staffing numbers have plummeted in recent years, with 34,475 unformed officers this year down from 40,200 in 2000. The crisis prompted Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to lower some standards for recruits, reinstating the 1.5 mile timed run but reducing college credit requirements and other measures in February. 5 Terrell Anderson allegedly claimed NYPD brass pressed him to keep disqualified recruites at the police academy. Twitter Last month, the department graduated its first class since the standards were eased, with the city announcing a target of 35,000 cops in uniform by next year. Before she retired, Epps had a lot of pull in the department due to her assignment to former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, who she later accused of extorting her for sex. She claimed that Maddrey repeatedly coaxed her into demeaning sexual encounters in exchange for favors and hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime, The Post revealed in December. Maddrey, who described the trysts as consensual, abruptly retired after the scandal broke. — Additional reporting by Tina Moore and Joe Marino
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge again dismisses former Sheriff Villanueva's lawsuit over county's 'do not hire' label
A federal judge has — for the second time — dismissed a $25-million lawsuit by former Sheriff Alex Villanueva against Los Angeles County alleging that county officials defamed him and violated his rights. The lawsuit claimed that Villanueva lost out on potential employment opportunities because his personnel file was flagged as 'do not rehire' after a county panel determined that he had harassed two officials. Villanueva's suit claimed that an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation into his conduct was a 'sham' that violated his due process rights. In September, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson threw out Villanueva's initial suit but left the door open for him to refile because multiple claims remained unresolved. Read more: How a Mojave Desert footrace became a showcase for L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. turmoil Villanueva refiled the case, alleging that he'd suffered emotional distress and that the 'do not rehire' notation made it difficult for him to find a job. But Wilson again dismissed the suit, writing in his decision Thursday that there was insufficient evidence to prove Villanueva had been harmed or that the designation had caused him to lose out on a desired position. Attorneys for the county did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wilson wrote that while he had dismissed the final remaining federal claim, there are still state matters pending that the court 'declines to exercise jurisdiction over.' 'We're very pleased that the Sheriff's consequential complaints of defamation and emotional distress will move forward, and that we'll have the opportunity to hold the County of Los Angeles accountable in state court," Carney Shegerian, an attorney for Villanueva, said in a statement. Villanueva's lawsuit arose after Inspector General Max Huntsman accused then-Sheriff Villanueva in 2022 of making a 'racially based attack' by repeatedly referring to Hunstman by his birth name Max-Gustaf. Villanueva also claimed that Hunstman was a Holocaust denier without providing any evidence to support that claim, which Hunstman denied. Read more: Family sues Fontana police in shooting death of unarmed man in driveway Huntsman's complaint led to a county investigation and the "do not hire" designation, which Villanueva maintains was not justified. In a court filing last month, the former sheriff disputed an assessment by a county-hired expert psychiatrist that described him as having 'many attributes of a 'white-collar psychopath.' ' Wilson's 28-page Thursday filing said Villanueva did not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate key claims and that failed to show how he was harmed by the county's actions. The dismissal came on the heels of a filing in the case by lawyers for L.A. County that alleged Villanueva was harassing Sheriff Robert Luna and members of the Board of Supervisors by trying to call them as witnesses at a potential civil trial. Also on Villanueva's intended witness list was former Times reporter Keri Blakinger, who initially reported on the 'do not rehire' designation last year. Court filings in the case say Villanueva allegedly learned of the allegation that Huntsman was a Holocaust denier from former L.A. Sheriff's Department Det. Mark Lillienfeld, who has also been placed on a "do not rehire" list for unrelated reasons. A separate complaint around the time of Hunstman's claim was made by Esther Lim — then a justice deputy for county Supervisor Hilda Solis — who argued that Villanueva had shown a pattern of harassing women of color in comments he made during social media livestreams. Her claim also resulted in an investigation and a "do not rehire" designation. Hunstman and Lim declined to comment Thursday afternoon. Former Times staff writer Keri Blakinger contributed this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Judge again dismisses ex-sheriff Villanueva's lawsuit over county's ‘do not hire' label
A federal judge has — for the second time — dismissed a $25 million lawsuit by former Sheriff Alex Villanueva against Los Angeles County alleging that county officials defamed him and violated his rights. The lawsuit claimed that Villanueva lost out on potential employment opportunities because his personnel file was flagged as 'do not rehire' after a county panel determined that he had harassed two officials. Villanueva's suit claimed that an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation into his conduct was a 'sham' that violated his due process rights. In September, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson threw out Villanueva's initial suit but left the door open for him to refile because multiple claims remained unresolved. Villanueva refiled the case, alleging that he'd suffered emotional distress and that the 'do not rehire' notation made it difficult for him to find a job. But Wilson again dismissed the suit, writing in his decision Thursday that there was insufficient evidence to prove Villanueva had been harmed or that the designation had caused him to lose out on a desired position. Attorneys for the county did not immediately respond to a requests for comment. Wilson wrote that while he had dismissed the final remaining federal claim, there are still state matters pending that the court 'declines to exercise jurisdiction over.' 'We're very pleased that the Sheriff's consequential complaints of defamation and emotional distress will move forward, and that we'll have the opportunity to hold the County of Los Angeles accountable in state court,' Carney Shegerian, an attorney for Villanueva, said in a statement. Villanueva's lawsuit arose after Inspector General Max Huntsman accused then-sheriff Villanueva in 2022 of making a 'racially based attack' by repeatedly referring to Hunstman by his birth name Max-Gustaf. Villanueva also claimed that Hunstman was a Holocaust denier without providing any evidence to support that claim, which Hunstman denied. Huntsman's complaint led to a county investigation and the 'do not hire' designation, which Villanueva maintains was not justified. In a court filing last month, the former sheriff disputed an assessment by a county-hired expert psychiatrist that described him as having 'many attributes of a 'white-collar psychopath.'' Wilson's 28-page Thursday filing said Villanueva did not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate key claims and that failed to show how he was harmed by the county's actions. The dismissal came on the heels of a filing in the case by lawyers for L.A. County that alleged Villanueva was harassing Sheriff Robert Luna and members of the Board of Supervisors by trying to call them as witnesses at a potential civil trial. Also on Villanueva's intended witness list was former Times reporter Keri Blakinger, who initially reported on the 'do not rehire' designation last year. Court filings in the case say Villanueva allegedly learned of the allegation that Huntsman was a Holocaust denier from former L.A. Sheriff's Department Det. Mark Lillienfeld, who has also been placed on a Do Not Rehire list for unrelated reasons. A separate complaint around the time of Hunstman's claim was made by Esther Lim — then a justice deputy for county Supervisor Hilda Solis — who argued that Villanueva had shown a pattern of harassing women of color in comments he made during social media livestreams. Her claim also resulted in an investigation and 'do not rehire' designation. Hunstman and Lim declined to comment Thursday afternoon. Former Times staff writer Keri Blakinger contributed this report.
